France opted for a more measured approach in their latest World Cup match, a decision likely influenced by the sweltering heat of Philadelphia. On this Independence Day, the favored team faced a Paraguay side eager to challenge but ultimately limited to mere irritants throughout the encounter.
In the context of previous France-Paraguay matches, this game felt more reminiscent of France’s triumph in 1998 than their 1958 victory, where Just Fontaine notably scored a hat-trick. Kylian Mbappé, the modern goal-scoring phenomenon for Les Bleus, contributed a single penalty goal, tying him with Lionel Messi in the golden boot race, although he still trails Messi in the all-time scoring chart.
The match was significant, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. declaration of independence. Philadelphia celebrated grandly, featuring patriotic displays on the pitch, choreographed formations, and a performance of “America the Beautiful” by a boys’ choir. Local hip-hop legends, the Roots, also entertained the crowd, with one member energetically performing while playing the French horn.
Facing the extreme heat, the game that seemed poised to be an easy chase for France turned out to be more complicated, with neither team able to seize control. France dominated possession during the first half, completing 208 passes to Paraguay’s mere 33. However, most of those passes were contained within the Paraguayan defensive zone, as France sought to utilize ball control effectively.
Paraguay, for their part, did not appear ready to yield easily. They maintained a compact and organized defense, embodying a spirited effort to disrupt the French at every turn. This was particularly true for Julio Enciso, Paraguay’s lone forward in a 5-4-1 formation, who worked diligently to pressure the French without the ball and draw fouls when he had possession. His efforts proved effective.
When play resumed after a 15-minute cooling break, the temperature had slightly decreased, and the shadows lengthened across the pitch. France, likely motivated by Didier Deschamps’ halftime talk, began to increase their pace. Their first shot on target came in the 55th minute from Manu Koné, whose long-range effort was skillfully saved by Orlando Gill.
Despite the lack of breakthrough against the Paraguayan defense, Deschamps made a tactical change, substituting Bradley Barcola with Désiré Doué after Barcola squandered an opportunity. Doué made an immediate impact, pushing against the Paraguayan defense and visibly wearing them down after being chased for an hour.
In the 64th minute, Doué charged toward the box, successfully evading two defenders before being fouled by Diego Gómez. Initially, referee Ilgiz Tantashev did not call a foul, but after consulting the video assistant referee, he reversed his decision and awarded a penalty kick. Ousmane Dembélé took possession of the ball, but it was clear that Mbappé would be the one to take the shot.
After Tantashev reset the penalty spot, Mbappé confidently approached, sending Gill diving to his right before rolling the ball into the left corner of the net. France secured the crucial lead and managed to maintain it comfortably for the remainder of the match.
- World Cup 2026
- World Cup
- Paraguay
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- Kylian Mbappé
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